Ready for Love
by anaddictedreader143
Summary: A series of One Shots starring the other members of Mikan and Natsume's group. Sequel to ONE MORE CHANCE! Please read and review!
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys, this is a Hotaru- Ruka oneshot! Please enjoy!**

**Summary:**

**Hotaru has always been the calm, stoic-faced and emotionless member of the group. She was always the strong-willed and independent girl. The Ice Queen. The girl who's most likely to never fall in love. But is she really? And what if a certain Ruka Nogi tries to win her heart again? Will he be able to succeed? **

**How to Reach Your Frozen Heart**

*Sometimes people put up walls not to keep other out but to see who cares enough to break them down.

"Come on! We've been practicing so many times already! Why. Can't. You. Still. Swim?" Subaru Imai yelled through gritted teeth as he shot his younger sister an evil look.

"Well obviously because you're a lousy teacher." Hotaru Imai calmly retorted, not even flinching as her older brother glared down on her.

Unlike most sessions in gym class, swimming was the only class where both the girls and boys were taught together. And unfortunately for Hotaru, the class that she hated most had to be taught by none other than her older brother, Subaru Imai.

Everyone was looking at their direction, but Hotaru just ignored them. After all, no one would ever dare cross the line when it came to Hotaru Imai. Unless they wanted to die an early death.

"Ugh! This is becoming pointless!" Subaru raked his hands through his hair, completely irritated.

"That's why I keep telling you to _let _me skip swimming class." Hotaru pointed out, much to her older brother's dismay.

"There is no way in hell would I ever do that." Subaru grumbled. He stared across the room, looking for someone.

"What the heck are you planning to do this time?" Hotaru demanded, also getting irritated. Her brother was just _too _persistent even for his own good.

Subaru ignored her and continued to look through the room. Finally, he caught sight of the person he was looking for.

"Ruka Nogi, I need you to come here immediately!" He called out.

Hotaru immediately glared at Subaru. He wouldn't actually dare do this to her would he? But somehow, she knew for a fact that her older brother was capable of doing this. He was already desperate enough. But this was too much. He was going to make her life a living hell!

"What is it Imai-sensei?" Ruka asked as he approached the Imai siblings. He stopped on his tracks when he saw Hotaru, who immediately avoided his gaze.

Subaru, on the other hand, grinned mischievously.

"Since you're my little sister's partner, I'm assigning you to accompany her during swimming practices after school. If she can manage to even float by the end of the week, I'll give you additional points for your final grade in gym class as extra credit." He said.

Ruka nodded in agreement. Unexpectedly, Hotaru snorted in disbelief.

"To the point of bribing other people into doing your duties." She grumbled under her breath, but still loud enough for some of her other classmates to hear.

Subaru cleared his throat.

"I'm not bribing anyone. Frankly, as partners, it is both of your responsibilities to help each other especially during critical times. And obviously, _you _are in a critical situation. Unless of course, you would rather want to receive a failing grade instead?" He challenged.

Hotaru didn't bother comment. Instead, she turned around and walked away. Suddenly, the bell rang.

"Okay, class dismissed!" Subaru called out.

Everyone immediately got out of the pool and headed to the locker rooms to change. Just as Hotaru was walking towards that direction, Ruka grabbed her arm.

"Hotaru, are you going to be practicing later after class?" He asked.

Hotaru turned to look at him.

"No, I won't be. I'll be visiting Mikan later this afternoon." She kept a stoic expression as she spoke to him.

"Oh, I see." Ruka let go of her arm. "Well, I'll see you later then." He said, as he turned around and walked towards the other direction.

Hotaru could still feel Ruka's hold on her arm. His hand was warm, just like him. A part of her wished that the two of them were able to talk to each other longer. But she immediately brushed the thought away and went into the locker room.

People always called Hotaru Imai cold-hearted, stone-faced and emotionless. People named her a devil with an angel's face. People always say that she's the girl who will never fall in love. But that's not really the case. Hotaru once fell in love. ONCE. But everything had broken apart between her and that person. But still, that didn't mean that Hotaru stopped loving him. Of course she didn't. And that guy was none other than Ruka Nogi.

It has been almost two years ever since the two of them went their separate ways. But, Hotaru could still remember the times when the two of them were together. Those were some of the happiest times in her life. But that was all over now. She also couldn't help but remember the day when their relationship fell apart and how it ended. It almost felt like it had only happened the day before. The wounds that it left her were still too fresh.

When she and Ruka found out that Mikan and Natsume had broken up, they both confronted their best friends, hoping that they could help in restoring back their relationship. But typically, both of them ended up fighting over which of their best friends was right. Of course, Hotaru was on Mikan's side, she always was. But what surprised her most was the fact that Ruka continuously defended Natsume even though it really was his fault (well, technically, it was really Luna's fault although they didn't know it at first). And in the end, _they _also broke up.

The break-up was still a rough issue for Hotaru. That's why she didn't tell anyone, even Mikan. She didn't want to let the other's know how much it affected her.

"Good afternoon, Imai-san." The receptionist greeted her as she passed through the halls of the hospital wing later that afternoon.

Hotaru let out a small smile and nodded in acknowledgement. Just as she was about to enter Mikan's room, she completely stopped on her tracks. Sitting on a chair beside Mikan's bed was none other than Natsume Hyuuga. He was holding her best friend's hand tightly and cautiously, watching for any sign of movement from her.

Mikan was still unconscious. She has been for the past three days since that dreadful incident. Hotaru and the others always visited her, keeping track of her current condition. Fortunately, she was stable, and her wounds were already healing.

As Hotaru looked at the two people in the room, she couldn't help but feel like she was intruding. But somehow, she also felt a stab of envy when she looked at Natsume's expression. There was deep love in his eyes. Deep love for her best friend. Hotaru knew how much Mikan and Natsume loved each other. It was obvious from the way they looked and reacted to each other. They were completely in love.

Fighting the urge to sigh out loud, Hotaru turned around and walked away. She could visit Mikan later. For now, she'd give her and Natsume the privacy that they needed. After all, she had swimming practices waiting for her.

She went to the school's swimming pool, which was only a room away from the gym. She quickly changed to her swimsuit and approached the pool.

Well, it's now or never.

She jumped into the water.

She was okay for the next few minutes. At least she was able to float. But about twenty minutes later, she felt a tightening pain around her muscles. She instantly knew that she was having cramps. She was already having difficulty in staying on the surface. Unfortunately, the pain overwhelmed her and she sank into the waters.

She didn't realize that someone had saved her, not until she felt strong arms pull her out of the pool and warm moist lips touching hers. She immediately coughed out water. When she finally opened her eyes, she found Ruka's face looking down on her, his expression frantic and full of worry. Hotaru sat up.

"What are you doing here?" She managed to ask, although her throat was constricting with pain. She avoided his gaze.

Ruka ignored her question and grabbed her shoulders, forcing her to look at him. Hotaru couldn't help but be surprise at Ruka's expression. Ruka Nogi was _angry. _Absolutely angry.

"What the hell do you think you were doing?" He demanded. "Don't you realize how dangerous it was for you to be practicing alone? What do you think would've happened if I _didn't _find you and save you in time?" He continued to yell, his fingers digging deep into her shoulders.

Hotaru didn't know how to respond. She was still at a loss for words. After all, Ruka never reacted this way before. Never had he ever gotten this mad. She flinched.

Ruka must have realized what he was doing, because he immediately let go of her shoulders. The two of them looked away from each other.

Minutes passed.

"I'm…sorry for my outburst." Ruka finally spoke up, but his gaze still avoided Hotaru's.

"How did you find me?" Hotaru asked, although it was more like a whisper.

"I don't really know." Ruka admitted. "I just had a feeling that something was wrong and I had to come to the pool _immediately_." He said.

_He had a feeling? What does that even mean? _Hotaru couldn't help but ponder on the thought. She didn't realize that she was actually cold, not until her teeth started to chatter. Ruka immediately noticed and stood up.

"Come on, we should get dried up before any of us can catch a cold." He urged as he held his hand out to her. Hotaru couldn't help but notice how warm Ruka's hand was. The two of them went to the locker rooms.

"Here, use this to dry up." Ruka said, as he handed Hotaru a towel. "And you better change." He instructed. Hotaru didn't bother give retorts or answer back. Instead, she gingerly took the towel and closed the door of the girls' locker room.

Immediately, her legs gave up under her and she slid to the floor. Subconsciously, she touched her lips, still remembering the feel of Ruka's lips over hers. Yes, it was only CPR, but still, it's been almost two years since they've last kissed each other. And it has almost been two years since they've broken apart.

And as if on cue, the memories came crashing back.

_A few weeks later…_

"Imai-san, will you please dance with me?" Hajime Yamashita of Class 3- A asked.

Hotaru, who was busy eating lobster from the food table, immediately gave him an icy glare that made him flinch.

"No. So, leave me alone." She said between bites.

Losing his wits, Hajime immediately ran the other way.

It was the night of the Alice Academy Dance, and unlike the other girls who were dancing with their dates and enjoying themselves, Hotaru chose to stay beside the food tables, munching on crabs, lobsters and shrimps. Since her idiot of a best friend wasn't attending the dance, she planned to spend the rest of the night eating through the buffet.

But unfortunately…

"Cool Blue Sky, please dance with me!" A voice spoke up from behind her. Hotaru reluctantly turned around to face the intruder.

And standing in front of her was none other than the infamous Hayate Matsudaira, President of the We Love Hotaru Imai Fanclub. He's been pestering Hotaru ever since the two of them accidentally bumped into each other in the halls during the past year. He claims that he was crazily in love with her (stressing out the crazy part) and kept insisting on calling her Cool Blue Sky, whoever that was. And now he was more annoying than ever.

"Leave. Me. Alone." Hotaru said between gritted teeth. She immediately turned around and walked away. But unfortunately for her, several members of her fanclub surrounded her.

"Hotaru-sama, please dance with us!" They all exclaimed. Hotaru shot them with the baka cannon, but none of them even budged. So, she had no choice but to retreat.

She ran as fast as she could, hoping that her pursuers would give up soon enough. Unfortunately, none of them did. She managed to hide herself behind some bushes and the obsessed weirdos finally lost her trail. She breathed in a sigh of relief. Suddenly, someone came running towards her hiding place. And it was none other than Ruka Nogi.

"Hotaru?" He asked in surprise when he saw her. But before Hotaru was able to respond, Ruka signaled her to keep quiet. "Shh, there are some girls chasing after me and I don't want them finding me here."

And right on cue, they heard frantic screaming fangirls, all calling out Ruka's name. Fortunately, they ran towards the other direction. A few minutes later, when everything had finally quieted down, Ruka let out a sigh. He sat down next to Hotaru.

"Geez, Natsume suddenly disappears and I end up getting chased by crazy fangirls." He muttered. He looked at Hotaru. "What are you doing here Hotaru?" He asked.

"Same as you." Hotaru grumbled under her breath.

Ruka chuckled.

"It's so typical that whenever Mikan and Natsume aren't around, _we _end up getting targeted." He said between laughs.

Hotaru let out a small smile. Suddenly, colorful fireworks started blowing up in the sky. The two of them stared at the night sky.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Ruka asked.

Hotaru nodded in agreement, completely mesmerized by the magnificence of the fireworks. Only when she turned to look at Ruka did she realize that he was actually looking at her.

"You know what?" Ruka smiled. "This reminds me of something that happened a few years ago."

Hotaru didn't speak, she just listened to him.

"We were in middle school back then, and we were also having a festival." Ruka continued, glancing back at the heavens. "I have always disliked you when we were still kids, because you always took embarrassing photos of me and sold them to our classmates." He chuckled. Hotaru couldn't help but smile as well. "But as we grew up and got to know each other, I realized how good and loyal a friend you were. Especially to those closest to you." He finally looked at her. "And during the summer festival of our second year of middle school, when I saw you under the fireworks, I realized that I was actually falling in love with you." He admitted, his light blue eyes serious.

Hotaru stared at him in surprise. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Unable to respond to his confession, she immediately looked away.

"But after we got together, we broke up a year and a half later, didn't we?" She reminded him.

Ruka sighed grudgingly.

"I know that. But, I really regret what I did to you Hotaru. To us. I couldn't believe that I have let a stupid argument break us up." He said repentantly. "Because I realized that I was still in love with you, even until now." He confessed.

Without her even realizing it, tears started to flow from Hotaru's eyes. She quickly wiped them away, not wanting Ruka to see. This was so _not _like her! But she found that the tears wouldn't stop.

"Hey, are you okay?" Ruka touched her cheek. Hotaru instantly slapped his hand away.

"Stupid!" She cried. "Stupid, stupid, stupid! I can't believe that you had me end up crying like this!" She yelled.

Ruka managed to let out a chuckle.

"So, does that mean that you feel the same?" He grinned.

"Isn't it already obvious? Yes, I love you too, stupid." Hotaru retorted, despite her tears.

Ruka just smiled and leaned down to kiss her. It was, in fact, the best kiss that they'd ever had. But their moment was spoiled when voices spoke up from behind them.

"It's Cool Blue Sky! Quick! We have to catch her before we lose her again." Hayate yelled towards the group of fanboys behind him.

"There's Ruka-sama! We have to get him to dance with us before the festival ends!" Chikako Shinobu, a student from Class 2- C, ordered towards the group of fangirls with her.

"Come on. Let's leave before the wolves surround us." Ruka grinned, holding out his hand.

Hotaru immediately took hold of it, and they ran away from their pursuers together, laughing along the way. Hotaru tightened her grip on Ruka's hand. She would never let go of this hand. Never again.

Because Ruka Nogi had managed to break down the walls that surrounded her and was able to reach her heart.

**Well, here's the first oneshot of the sequel!** **What do you guys think? Reviews are greatly appreciated!**


	2. Author's Note

**Hi guys!**

**Okay, I know that you are all expecting a new chapter now especially after three days, but my schedule is kind of tight right now. **

**Also, I'm so sorry for telling all of you this, but most probably, I won't be able to publish any chapters for at least two weeks. Unfortunately, I have exams coming next week and I have to study hard for them. Also, this week, I'm very busy with school projects, homework and assignments.**

**I'm really sorry to all of you readers! I hope you guys understand and please keep supporting my stories.**

**Thank you very much!**

**-Nikki**


	3. Chapter 2

**Hey guys! I've finally updated a new chapter! This is an Anna- Kitsu oneshot!**

**Summary:**

**Anna Umenomiya has always been known as the Cooking Specialist. The Pastry Queen. The Master of the Kitchen. Everyone loves the food that she makes, even the infamous Kitsuneme Yome. But is Anna's cooking the only thing that he likes about her? Or is it more than just the cakes, the cookies and the desserts that she makes?**

**A Piece of Your Love**

*I love you not for what you've accomplished, but for who you really are.

"Congratulations, Anna-chan!" Mikan exclaimed as she gave Anna a tight hug.

Anna returned the hug with a smile.

Mikan, Hotaru, Anna, Nonoko and Sumire were all huddled up together in front of Anna's desk. It was still very early in the morning, and the bell signaling the start of homeroom period had not yet rang.

"As expected of Anna-chan," Sumire grinned. "You've gotten into the final round of the competition!" She squealed. She immediately gave Anna an enthusiastic pat on the back.

"That's my twin!" Nonoko clapped her hands excitedly as she wound her arm around her best friend's.

Anna couldn't help but smile at her friends' enthusiasm. They were always the most jubilant of all the students here in Alice Academy. Even Hotaru, who seldom shows any emotion at all, was smiling.

Anna has always loved cooking ever since she was a child. She loved making all kinds of dishes especially cakes, cookies and other different kinds of desserts. She loved the feeling of being able to make something that other people will enjoy. She loved seeing other people enjoy the food that she makes. It gave her a sense of pride and heartfelt happiness. And ever since she was a child, she always dreamed of sharing her dishes to the world.

Recently, Fukutan-sensei, their substitute English teacher and Home Economics teacher, asked her if she wanted to join "The Rising Chef", Japan's number one and top-rated cooking competition. At first, Anna was very hesitant in joining the contest. After all, she wasn't sure if her dishes would even qualify her to the preliminary rounds, let alone the semi-finals and the finals. But after a continuous prompting session from Fukutan-sensei, and an encouragement speech from her best friend Nonoko, Anna finally decided to fill out the registration form.

Actually, that was the greatest opportunity for her to be able to attain her dream. The perfect stepping stone. A good start. The first step. And now, she will be able to fulfill it.

"So, when's the day of the final round?" Hotaru asked, peering over the letter in Anna's hand. It was the letter of qualification that Anna received earlier that morning.

"Saturday." Anna replied as she placed the letter on top of her desk for Hotaru and the others to see?"

"Wait a sec," Mikan spoke up, her eyes widening in surprise. "You don't mean _this _Saturday, do you?" She reluctantly asked.

Anna nodded.

"Why? Is something wrong Mikan-chan?" She asked.

Mikan didn't answer. Instead, she gave a loud, ear-piercing shriek.

"No freaking way!" She screamed. Several of the other students in the classroom glanced at their direction in curiosity but Mikan didn't even notice.

"What's wrong Mikan-chan?" Nonoko asked, her expression full of concern.

"Yeah, what are you so worked up about, Mikan?" Sumire added.

Mikan gave an exasperated sigh.

"I have a photo shoot starting this Saturday, remember?" She reminded them. "I won't be able to come and watch the competition live with you guys." She sighed again. She immediately grabbed both of Anna's hands, clasping them in between hers. She gave Anna her infamous puppy-dog expression. "I'm really sorry Anna-chan!" She cried.

"It's okay, Mikan-chan." Anna gave her an assuring smile.

"Don't worry about that Mikan-chan." Nonoko spoke up, a smile on her face. "We'll videotape the whole event if you want."

That immediately cheered Mikan up.

"Thanks a lot you guys!" She beamed.

Anna and the others couldn't help but smile at their friend's cheerfulness.

Just as when the bell rang, the door of the classroom opened and five boys entered the classroom. They were none other than Natsume Hyuuga, Ruka Nogi, Yuu Tobita, and Kokoro and Kitsuneme Yome.

"Well, I better get back to my seat." Nonoko excused herself.

"Me too." Mikan added. Hotaru and Sumire also made their excuses.

The four of them immediately went back to their desks. Anna reread the letter on her desk. Suddenly the seat next to her, which was earlier occupied by Nonoko, moved and another person sat on it.

"What's that?" Kitsu asked as he peered over her side of the desk.

Anna looked up from the letter and faced him.

"It's nothing. Just a letter." She stated. She folded the letter in half and tried to return it to its envelope but Kitsu managed to grab it from her.

"Hey, that's rude you know!" Anna protested but Kitsu just ignored her. He quickly read the letter.

Anna tried to grab it from him several times, but Kitsu was just too quick. He always managed to move away to the other direction just when Anna's hand was only an inch away. Crossing her arms in annoyance and slumping back to her seat, Anna finally gave up. She shot Kitsu a glare which he just completely ignored.

"Wow," Kitsu muttered breathlessly as he tossed the letter back to Anna. "That's so cool." He grinned.

Anna raised an eyebrow.

"Cool?" She couldn't help but ask.

Kitsu looked at her with those slanted, fox-like eyes.

"Well, isn't it?" He grinned again. "After all, to be able to actually pass through the finals of one of the hardest competitions in the whole country on your first time is quite an achievement already, right? That's why it's so cool." He chuckled.

Anna couldn't help but smile.

"Well, yeah." She said thoughtfully.

"So, what are you going to make in the final round?" Kitsu asked.

"Well," Anna started, her mind coming up with several recipes all at the same time, but none of which she could consider much of an option. She gave a sigh.

"Well?" Kitsu prompted.

"Actually, I'm not really sure on what I want to make." Anna admitted.

"What's the theme for the finals anyway?"

Anna couldn't help but grin at the question.

"Desserts." She gladly stated.

Kitsu grinned back at her.

"It seems to me that someone's already confident that she'll win." He pointed out.

Anna shook her head.

"Not really. The competition is fierce and the other contestants are really good." She stated. "But I'm really glad that they chose desserts for the final theme of the competition." A smile immediately formed on her face.

"But you know what?" Kitsu spoke up from beside her. Anna turned to look at him. "I believe that even if the judges wouldn't have chosen desserts as the final theme, you'd still win hands down." He smiled at her.

Suddenly, Anna's face started to get warm and her heart fluttered in her chest.

Why am I reacting like this? It was only a compliment. I shouldn't get so worked up about it! She chastised herself continuously.

Fortunately, the two of them didn't get to continue their conversation again since Narumi entered the classroom and homeroom period already started.

The rest of the classes passed by in a blur and without even realizing it, the day had already come to its end.

"I'll see you guys later. I'll be in the Home Economics room if any of you need me." Anna made her excuses the minute that the bell signaling the end of classes rang.

Nonoko and the others nodded in her direction and bid her goodbye. Anna immediately went to the Home Economics room and prepared her ingredients and cooking utensils. She was planning to make a chocolate chiffon cake for her practice. If her recipe goes well, it'll probably get her the opportunity to be named as Japan's new Rising Chef.

After a few minutes of mixing and stirring, Anna finally placed the cake mixture that she made in the oven. Checking the time, she decided to make some cookies as well, a treat for Mikan and the others when she got back to the dormitory later.

But after a few minutes…

"Oh no!" Anna shrieked when she saw her first batch of cookies after getting them out of the oven.

The cookies were slightly burned, the edges a little bit darker than the rest. Some had little burn marks on them.

Anna sighed and placed the tray of burned cookies to the side, planning to throw them in the trash bin together. She checked her watch for the time. It was still early enough and the cake wouldn't be fully baked until at least thirty minutes have passed. Gathering what was left of her ingredients, Anna prepared to make a second batch. But before she was able to start, a voice spoke up from the door.

"What 'cha cooking?" Kitsu grinned as he approached Anna's table. His gaze went to the burned tray of cookies. "Are you going to throw these out?" He asked.

Anna managed to nod as she kept mixing flour, eggs and other ingredients.

"But isn't it a total waste?" Kitsu interjected.

"They're burned. I can't give those to Mikan and the others." Anna insisted.

"Fine. Give them to me then." Kitsu suggested.

Anna stared at him in disbelief.

"Are you serious? I can't let anyone eat those. I won't even feed them to a stray dog!" She exclaimed.

"And why not? I'm sure even a stray dog would be willing to eat anything, let alone a delicious batch of cookies like these." Kitsu retorted.

"But they're burned!"

"So?"

Anna gave an exasperated sigh and finally gave up the argument. There was no point in continuing it anyway. Kitsuneme Yome was just too persistent for his own good.

"Fine." She grumbled under her breath. "Take them if you want, but I don't see why anyone would actually want to eat those." She muttered.

"Why _wouldn't _anyone eat these?" Kitsu returned as he stuffed three cookies all at once in his mouth. He grabbed three more and another and another and another. He gave a satisfied smirk after he finished the whole tray.

"Best cookies I've ever eaten." He grinned.

Anna stared at him in surprise and then at the empty tray on the table. He really _did _eat them all.

"Really?" She couldn't help but ask.

Kitsu leaned back against the table behind him.

"Well, yeah." He replied nonchalantly. "After all, anything you make is always delicious."

Anna blushed at the compliment.

"But they were burned and they weren't my best batch." She muttered.

Kitsu gave a thoughtful expression.

"Well, I do admit that they were slightly burned." He agreed.

"_Slightly_? The edges were already black!" Anna protested.

"Fine, they were badly burned." Kitsu grumbled. "But even if they were as black as charcoal, I'd still be willing to eat them."

Anna rolled her eyes.

"You're crazy." She muttered. "Why would any sane person do that?"

Kitsu's expression suddenly turned serious.

"That's because the food that Anna makes is my favorite food and I'd eat it even if it's inedible." He stated.

Anna blushed even more.

"You're…crazy." She managed to say despite the trembling in her voice.

Kitsu chuckled.

"Well anyways, good luck with your competition. I'll be rooting for you." He grinned. He turned around and approached the exit. "See you tomorrow." He bid as he got out of the room.

"See you tomorrow." Anna managed to whisper.

The oven dinged. Her cake was ready. But Anna didn't move from her position. Her feet were glued to the floor. She placed a hand over her chest. Her heart was pounding like crazy and her knees were shaking. She had to grab the table for support.

_Because the food that Anna makes is my favorite food_. Kitsu's word's replayed on her mind.

She blushed again in an even brighter shade of red.

What the heck was happening to her?

_On the day of the competition…_

"Good luck on the competition Anna-chan!" Mikan cheered on the other end of the line.

Anna couldn't help but smile.

"Good luck on your photo shoot too, Mikan-chan." She replied.

Mikan giggled.

"I'll do my best!" She beamed.

"Attention to all participants, the final round of the competition will be starting in a few minutes. Please proceed to your places." The announcer spoke through the intercom.

Anna gave a nervous sigh. She looked at Nonoko and the others, then back to the phone in her hand.

"Well that's my cue Mikan-chan." She tried to sound confident but her voice shook. "We'll inform you about the results later." She promised.

"Good luck Anna-chan!" Mikan cheered again.

"Thanks Mikan-chan. I'll talk to you again later. Bye." Anna made her excuses.

"Bye!" And then the call ended.

Anna sighed and handed the phone to Hotaru.

"Well, wish me luck." She said nervously.

Hotaru, Nonoko and Sumire grinned.

"Good luck. We'll all be rooting for you!" They cheered.

Anna managed to smile. She then hurriedly went to her assigned table and prepared all her needed ingredients. But for some strange reason, her gaze was continuously being drawn to the audience area.

Where is he? She thought.

Suddenly, realization hit her.

What am I doing? It's not like I'm expecting him to come or anything! Nope. Absolutely not! I'm not expecting anything! Her mind chastised over and over again.

But why was she feeling so uneasy without him there?

Suddenly, the intercom buzzed again.

"And now, we will be starting the final round of the competition." Said the announcer. It was followed by an introduction of the judges, the rules and finally, the criteria. "Who will be the next Rising Chef? To all of the participants, please prepare all of your ingredients because your one hour to make your best dessert starts now!"

And thus the timer started.

Anna immediately started mixing flour, eggs and butter. She was going to make the chocolate chiffon cake that she practiced a few days ago. Nonoko and the others said that it was the best cake that she ever made that's why she was going to use it as her dessert dish in the final round. But her hands were shaking as she mixed her ingredients together. She had to calm down.

Without her realizing it, her gaze once again went to the audience. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw him.

Kitsu was here.

When he found her looking at him, he gave her grin and a thumbs-up. Then, he mouthed the words, "Good luck."

Anna immediately felt calmer, her nervousness instantly fading away. She can do this. She can win it.

After an hour, the participants were asked to present their dishes one by one to the judges. There were only three finalists, but all of them were really good. Anna's heart leapt when she heard her name being called. She immediately went to the judges' table.

The judges looked at her and then at the cake.

"And what is this dish that you have presented us Miss Umenomiya?" The first judge, a famous food critique, asked.

Anna calmed herself down and tried to look confident.

"This is a chocolate chiffon cake with creamy chocolate frosting." She stated.

The judges looked at one another and nodded. The first judge took out a slice and had a taste. He passed the slice to the other two.

"It is delicious." The first judge stated, a smile forming in his lips.

"It is, in fact, absolutely delicious." The other judge, a famous pastry chef, agreed.

Anna couldn't help but smile. But there was still the other judge.

The last one is a famous chef that owned several of the best five star restaurants in Japan. Unfortunately, he didn't look quite pleased. The nervousness that Anna felt earlier immediately started to return.

"Well, to be honest, I'm not really a fan of chocolate pastries." He admitted. Anna's face fell. "But," Anna looked up to find the judge smiling. "It was the best cake that I've ever tasted."

The audience cheered and applauded. Anna felt like a huge burden had been lifted from her shoulders.

"Thank you very much!" She beamed at the judges. She went back to her table and breathed in a huge sigh of relief.

They liked it! The judges liked her dish!

And after a few minutes, the results were finally out. The announcer stepped onto the stage with a huge smile on her face. She was holding a red envelope in her hands.

"The results are out and the judges have decided." She announced. "This year's Rising Chef is none other than," She opened the red envelope and read the name of the winner. "Anna Umenomiya!" She cheered.

The crowd immediately screamed with delight. Anna couldn't believe her ears. She won? She actually won?

The announcer pushed her onstage and the judges gave her a huge cheque worth a hundred thousand dollars. They also gave her an apron with the words, "The Rising Chef" printed in big bold letters at the front.

Anna blinked back the tears of joy in her eyes. This was the happiest day of her life. She glanced at the audience and found Nonoko, Hotaru and Sumire smiling at her.

But where was Kitsu?

She immediately approached the audience and handed Nonoko and the others her reward.

"Congratulations Anna-chan!" They cheered.

Anna managed a smile but she was still looking for Kitsu.

"What's wrong Anna-chan?" Nonoko asked worriedly.

"I have to find Kitsu and tell him that I've won." She hurriedly said.

"Kitsu? You mean, Kitsuneme Yome?" Hotaru asked.

"Yes." Anna replied impatiently, still searching in the crowds.

"But what would he be doing here?" Sumire asked.

Anna didn't manage to answer Sumire's question because she caught a glimpse of spiky blond hair outside of the auditorium.

"I'll be back." She hurriedly said. She immediately went out of the room before any of them could stop her.

"Anna-chan, wait!" They all called out, but Anna was too much in a hurry to respond.

She found Kitsu leaning against one of the trees near the auditorium, his back onto her. She was about to call him when she realized that he wasn't alone. He was with Minami Kubo, a student from Class 2-C and one of the finalists.

"I know that this doesn't match the cake that Umenomiya-san made and I'm only second best, but please accept it!" Minami handed Kitsu a slice of her lemon raspberry cake.

Anna's heart ached and she immediately turned around and ran away.

_Because the food that Anna makes is my favorite food_. Kitsu's words once again ran through her mind.

But based on what she saw earlier, that was hardly true. What a stupid lie!

Without realizing it, fresh tears were rolling down Anna's eyes and blurring her vision. She would have fallen down the flight of stairs in front of her had Kitsu not grabbed her in time.

"That was so close." Kitsu said breathlessly as he pulled her up.

Anna managed to stand. She immediately wiped the tears in her eyes before Kitsu could see them. But unfortunately, he did.

"Why are you crying?" He asked.

Anna looked away from him.

"I'm not crying!" She insisted.

Unexpectedly, Kitsu hugged her from behind.

"Please don't cry." He whispered.

Anna took his arms away and faced him.

"How can I _not _be crying?" She screamed. "I only realized my true feelings for you but it seems as though that the only thing that you like about me is the food that I make!" She cried even harder.

Kitsu took her in his arms and gave her a tight embrace.

"It's not only the food that you make that I like about you." He whispered. "Actually, it's only one of the things that I _love _about you." He looked at her. "I love your smile. I love your personality. In fact, I love everything about you. And most of all, I love your passion for cooking and your determination. Because that's what made me fall in love with you." He admitted.

Anna looked at him in surprise.

"You…love me?" She couldn't help but ask.

Kitsu grinned at her.

"That's what I said, didn't I?"

Anna couldn't help but cry again, but this time, the tears that came out were tears of joy.

"I love you too." She whispered.

Kitsu grinned and leaned down to kiss her.

And that was probably the sweetest thing that she'd ever tasted.

**So guys, how was it? Reviews are greatly appreciated!**


	4. Chapter 3

After almost a year of absence, I finally come back! To all of my ever-faithful readers, I'm really sorry for the delay and I hope all of you can one day forgive me! Anyways, another chapter it is! Please enjoy!

Summary:

Nonoko Ogasawara has always been known as the Chemistry Genius. She can make up any kind of potion from all of the chemicals found in the laboratory. She even memorized the whole periodic table. But out of all the complicated chemical formulas that she has memorized, why can't she figure out this stupid little feeling in her chest? Especially since her heart only reacts when Yuu Tobita is around.

Chemistry between Us

*Sometimes people put up walls not to keep others out but to see who cares enough to break them down.

"Deoxyribonucleic acid." Nonoko Ogasawara responded after being asked a question by their biology teacher, Misaki.

"Correct. And what are its bases?" He asked.

"Adenine, Guanine, Thymine and Cytosine."

Misaki smiled and nodded in agreement.

"That is also correct. You may take your seat now." He said. He continued on with his lecture about DNA and Protein Synthesis.

Nonoko gave a sigh of relief and sat down. Her gaze shifted to her best friend Anna Umenomiya, who was sitting two rows from her right. Anna gave her an encouraging smile and a thumbs-up. Nonoko couldn't help but smile back. Luckily, she got all of her answers correct. Good thing she managed to study about the lesson last night or else she might've ended up embarrassing herself in front of the class. In the past, that might've been okay with her. But now? Not anymore. Not ever since _he _arrived. She might never be able to look him in the eye if she actually humiliated herself in front of him. No way. That must never happen.

She sighed once again. How simple her life was before he arrived. Hanging out with her friends, creating new products in the chemistry lab, eating the sweets Anna made. Those were the things that went through with her life before. And truly, how simple indeed her life was. But that was before _they _came. Mikan wasn't the only one affected when they transferred here. Even Hotaru and Anna changed a lot when they arrived. Even boy-crazy Sumire was affected too. And she had to admit it, Nonoko herself wasn't spared. And that was because of a certain blond-haired and brown-eyed boy with glasses.

"Wow, you're amazing Ogasawara-san." Her seatmate, Yuu Tobita, said after a while. Fortunately, they were seated near the back of the class, so at most times, they can make conversation with each other without being noticed by the teacher.

Nonoko managed to hide the blush forming on her cheeks.

_Calm down Nonoko. Calm down. It's only a compliment after all. _Her mind repeated again and again.

"That wasn't much at all. I practically guessed all of my answers." She managed to say.

"Aw, come on. Don't be so humble. Everyone knows you're a genius." He smiled.

At that moment, Nonoko was sure that her face was completely red.

"Don't exaggerate." She forced a laugh. "It's Hotaru who's the genius, not me."

Yuu gave a thoughtful expression.

"Well, of course. Hotaru-chan has always been the one of the smartest in class even when we were in Okinawa." He chuckled. "But you're also pretty smart too, you know. Don't demerit yourself too much." He smiled again.

Nonoko couldn't help but smile back.

"Like I said before, you're exaggerating." She laughed. "Besides, you're also pretty smart. _You _shouldn't demerit yourself."

Yuu laughed as well.

"Well, I admit that I pretty much do that all the time." He said.

Unfortunately, their conversation was cut short when the bell rang. It's lunch time now. Nonoko fought the urge to scowl in disappointment. And just when things were going great between her and Yuu. Stupid bell.

"Okay, class dismissed." Misaki announced.

Almost everyone in the room quickly fixed their belongings and got out of the room, all excited to take their lunch. Of course, Nonoko wasn't one of them.

She sighed in exasperation and gathered her things. Yuu was already standing from his seat and was ready to leave.

"See you later in class Ogasawara-san." He bid as he got out of the room with Kitsuneme, Anna's partner.

"See you later." Nonoko called back.

He nodded and left.

Nonoko reluctantly got up from her seat and slung her bag over her shoulder. Anna was already waiting for her when she got out.

"Someone seems to be in a pretty bad mood today." Anna pointed out.

Nonoko didn't bother to hide her scowl.

"Stupid bell." She muttered.

Anna didn't bother to suppress a laugh.

"Come on. There's still Drama class after lunch. And we still have Math after that." She said, obviously trying to cheer Nonoko up. But instead, Nonoko's scowl went deeper.

"We will most probably never get a chance to talk again during those classes. Narumi-sensei always gives weird activities all throughout the period and Jinno-sensei will never tolerate any conversation unrelated to math. And worst of all, he has the eyes of a hawk." She grumbled under her breath. She turned her gaze towards her best friend. "Anyways, have you already told the others about you and Kitsuneme-kun?" She asked.

Anna blushed and gave a smile.

"Hotaru-chan and Sumire-chan already know about it. But I haven't told Mikan-chan yet since she still has her photo shoot until now."

Nonoko nodded.

It's been a few days since Anna and Kitsuneme Yome became a couple. None of them even expected that the two were in love. Even Nonoko was unaware of it. In fact, when Anna told her that she and Kitsu were going out, she couldn't even believe it at first. She even thought that Anna was playing with her. But when she saw her best friend's expression, she knew that Anna was totally and completely serious. But still, of course, she was completely happy for her.

And now that the topic of love has entered her mind, she couldn't help but think about her own situation.

She didn't know how it happened. She didn't even know how it all started. But even so, she knew for a fact that she was completely and inevitably in love with Yuu Tobita. She didn't even know why though. In fact, when compared to the others in their group, Yuu wouldn't be the type one would classify as the "bad boy type". If he would be described in one word, the first thing that would pop into anyone's mind would be the word "nice". Truth be told, Yuu was probably the nicest guy that Nonoko ever met. In her opinion, Yuu and Ruka Nogi were most likely the only nice ones in their group (although Ruka seems a whole lot nicer to animals than to actual humans). And in some way, even if she doesn't know what the reason is, she is completely drawn to him. Maybe it's his boyish charm. Or maybe the kindness that he shows to other people. Maybe it's both. But either way, she knows she has completely fallen for him.

Maybe this is what Mikan and the others feel. Nonoko has seen the way her friends are being affected by those particular group her boys. The way Mikan blushes whenever Natsume Hyuuga is around. The way Hotaru completely freezes up whenever Ruka Nogi is near. Occasionally, even though she didn't realize it sooner, the way Anna smiles differently whenever she's with Kitsu. She even noticed the way Sumire's mood and attitude would change completely whenever Kokoro Yome would tease or play pranks on her. Honestly speaking, none of them were able to avoid being drawn to those five boys.

But in Nonoko's perspective, it seems that all of her friends' romances are going well for all of them. Except for her own. There never seems to be a development between her and Yuu. Yes, they have secret conversations during boring classes, but that was all. There were only few moments when sparks would suddenly rise up between them. But nothing else. In fact, sometimes she couldn't help but think that Yuu only viewed her as a friend. Nothing more, nothing less. And of course, it would be such a letdown if that was really the case.

Also, Yuu was just _too _nice. It was all Nonoko could do but to tell him that the others were too dependent on him, even to the point that they're taking advantage of his kindness. And he _never _gets mad. Even if someone did something to hurt him, he would just let it slide and pretend to be alright. It's like he's practically a martyr.

"Hey guys, over here!" Sumire called after them when they entered the cafeteria. Hotaru was already there sitting across from her, eating what must be her second serving of crab salad.

Nonoko and Anna nodded in their direction and bought their food.

Lunch went by with a blur. Drama class was the same as usual, a whole period full of completely weird and peculiar exercises devised by none other than Narumi. Math class was completely boring and uninteresting. And before Nonoko was even aware of it, the day had finally come to an end. Of course, since it was already Friday that day, she would be in the chemistry lab creating new products for as long as she wanted.

Bidding goodbye to Anna, she immediately made her way to the lab. But not until meeting a collision with another student.

"Oh my gosh. I'm so sorry." Nonoko said as she helped the other student pick up his books.

"Oh, it's okay." The other student replied.

That was when Nonoko realized who the other person was.

"Tobita-san?"

Yuu looked up from behind his glasses and smiled in acknowledgement.

"So it's you Ogasawara-san. It's a surprise to bump into you here of all places."

Nonoko managed a smile. Maybe her luck isn't running out after all.

"Yeah, that was a surprise. I was actually heading to the lab." She said.

"Creating new products?" Yuu asked.

Nonoko nodded. That was when she noticed the number of books she was helping him pick up. There were probably ten or more of them.

"These sure are a lot of books. Are you making a report or something?" She asked.

Yuu shook his head.

"They're for Koko. I'm helping out with his report for biology."

Nonoko couldn't help but scowl in annoyance. Helping isn't the right term to describe what he's doing. He's making it for him!

"Is something wrong?" Yuu asked, concerned.

At that moment, Nonoko finally snapped.

"It's you that's the problem Tobita-san! You're just too nice. People are even taking advantage of you and you let them." She almost screamed.

"But Ogasawara-san—" Yuu tried to defend himself but Nonoko didn't listen.

"In the end, they'll all be dependent on you. In the end, they'll all become lazy and irresponsible. In fact, you're not helping them at all that way." She continued. Then suddenly she realized what she said and instantly felt regretful. "Excuse me." She said and grabbed her bag, leaving Yuu staring after her.

Nonoko immediately got inside the lab and locked the door, taking deep, heavy breaths. She placed a hand over her mouth and suddenly, her knees gave away. Oh no. What has she done? Why did she say all those things? And in the end, she didn't even apologize for her words. Yuu would have probably forgiven her if she did. But in the end, she would still be consumed of the guilt and regret she would feel for hurting him.

Nonoko Ogasawara, that was probably the most terrible thing that you could've ever done in your whole life.

Still feeling guilty, her conscience still pestering her, she grabbed droppers, tubes and all kinds of chemicals from the supply closet. Might as well calm herself down before heading outside to look for Yuu and apologize to him. And the best way to do that is through what she does best, Chemistry.

She tried to immerse herself in what she was doing, but unfortunately, she was still too caught up in what happened earlier. She couldn't even concentrate at all. Not until she inhaled the fumes did she realize what was happening with her surroundings. A gas leak. And it was already so thick that visibility was almost impossible. She has to get out quick or else her lungs might burn out because of too much exposure to the gas. But she couldn't see at all.

Coughing, she managed to make her way to the door, only to remember that it was locked. And she left the keys on her table. Desperate, she pounded on the door, hoping that some kind-hearted person would come and save her. But whether someone heard her or not, she didn't get a chance to find out. She collapsed onto the floor, and the last thing she heard was someone yelling out her name. Her first name. Then she fell into unconsciousness.

When she opened her eyes and gained consciousness, Nonoko found herself lying on a hospital bed, an oxygen inhaler attached to her nose.

"You're finally awake Ogasawara-san." She heard someone say from beside her.

She turned her head to the side and found Yuu sitting on the chair beside her bed, a relieved expression on his face. She didn't bother to hide her surprise at his presence.

"Are you alright? Does your body hurt?" He asked, concerned.

Nonoko shook her head and managed to sit up.

"What are you doing here?" She asked. Her voice was rough, broken. She cleared her throat several times but found she was thirsty.

"I'm here to take care of you of course. Here." Yuu handed her a glass of water, which she immediately emptied with only a few gulps. Her voice started to sound like the way it used to.

"Thank you." She said. She couldn't help but feel a little bit uneasy, especially since he was treating her so kindly even though she yelled at him before.

"Umenomiya-san and the others will come back later. They just went out to buy some food. Do you need anything else?" He asked.

Nonoko shook her head once again. She looked at Yuu beside her and the guilt she felt earlier returned.

"I'm…very sorry." She said, her head bowed down in remorse.

Yuu brushed aside her apology with a forgiving smile.

"Don't worry about it. I'm not mad. Actually, you were right about what you said. Maybe I'm just too nice for my own good." He let out a chuckle, much to Nonoko's dismay.

Her hands clenched into fists and he couldn't help but cry out in frustration.

"Why aren't you mad at me?" She sobbed.

Yuu blinked in surprise.

"Ogasawara-san, are you hurt? Should I call the doctor?" He hovered.

"Why are you doing this to me? I've yelled and criticized you yet you're not offended at all. I ran out on you and didn't even apologize yet you still saved me. I've been such a horrible person to you yet you're still taking care of me. You should hate me!" She screamed.

"How could I ever hate the girl that I love the most?" She heard Yuu whisper.

Nonoko stopped crying for a moment and turned her gaze towards him. Was she hearing things? Or did Yuu actually confess to her just now?

"What did you say?" She couldn't help but ask.

Then she saw that Yuu was actually blushing. Bright red if one might add.

"Do I really have to repeat myself?" He asked, obviously embarrassed. Nonoko couldn't help but blush as well. Was this really happening? Or is this just some stupid dream of hers that she can't help but wish would come true?

"Umm…there's really no need to…" She started but couldn't find the words to finish her sentence. But that was when she saw Yuu's serious and determined expression.

"I'm in love with you Nonoko Ogasawara. I have for a long time." He said, his face still beet red.

Fresh tears started to roll from Nonoko's eyes. This has to be a dream right? There's no possible way that this could be happening. But when she looked into Yuu's eyes, she knew for a fact that this is reality.

"I'm in love with you too. For as long as I can remember." She said, a smile etched on her face.

Yuu also smiled back and held her hands. They stared into each other's eyes and let the seconds, the minutes, the hours go by, not needing words to express their feelings for one another.

Because they knew that it wasn't just chemistry between them, it was more than that. It was love.

**Wooh! Finally updated after so long! Hope you guys enjoyed this one-shot! Please continue on supporting! The next chapter will be updated ASAP! ^_^**


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